Parker Jacobs

Early life

Parker LeGrand Jacobs was born in Ogden, Utah in 1975, the third child born into a Mormon family. His middle name is in honor of his great-grandfather, prominent Latter-day Saint leader LeGrand Richards.[3] Following his family's relocation to California in 1976, Jacobs – like his older siblings Christian and Rachel and younger brother Tyler – worked as a child actor, appearing in numerous commercials and television shows in his preadolescence.[1][4] His most notable acting work included a starring role on the sitcom The Cavanaughs, in which he appeared in every episode during the series' run from 1986 to 1989, and as the recurring character "Purdle the Turtle" on The Wonder Years.[5] Jacobs retired from show business in 1991, and shortly thereafter moved from California to St. George, Utah with family members.[6]

While living in St. George, Jacobs formed the ska band GOGO13 with his brother Tyler in 1993, where he assumed the role of co-lead singer and songwriter. Though GOGO13 became a notable local success, the original incarnation of the band lasted just under a year until Jacobs left Utah in 1994 to serve his mission for the LDS Church, spending two years in West Virginia.[3] Upon his return, he moved back to California and became involved with his brother Christian's then-up-and-coming band The Aquabats, providing artwork for their logos, albums and merchandise, as well as contributing lyrics, various creative ideas and running their fan club.[5][7][8] Most visibly, however, Jacobs played the role of "The Professor" in The Aquabats' music videos and stage shows, taking part in the band's onstage skits and occasionally supplying backing vocals.[7] Additionally, under the stage name "Mel", Jacobs was the lead vocalist for The Sandfleas, The Aquabats' costumed surf-punk side project, and recorded an EP with them in 1999. Jacobs retired from The Aquabats in the early 2000s, though sporadically continues to design posters and merchandise for the band.

Recent activities

Jacobs joined Paul Frank Industries as an artist and graphic designer in 2000, eventually earning the title of Senior Design Director.[9] In addition to designing the company's products, Jacobs was notable for writing and illustrating the company's very first children's book, Only in Dreams: A Bedtime Story, featuring the Paul Frank mascot Julius the Monkey.[9][10] In 2005, he briefly worked with Josh Agel, the artist better known as Shag, to help develop a clothing line which never came to fruition.[1]

That same year, Jacobs helped contribute art design for an independently filmed pilot called Yo Gabba Gabba!, a children's television series being developed by his brother Christian and his creative partner Scott Schultz. In 2007, the series was picked up by Viacom's Nick Jr. channel, prompting Jacobs to leave his job at Paul Frank to work full-time on the show.[11] His various titles on Yo Gabba Gabba! have included character design, animation direction, set design, color styling, writing, composing, voiceovers, art direction and costume design, the latter two of which earned him three nominations for a Daytime Emmy Award. In the September 22, 2008 episode "Birthdays", Jacobs made an on-camera appearance in the "Cool Tricks" segment, showcasing his affinity for baking birthday cakes.[12]

Jacobs served as a "creative consultant" for both seasons of The Aquabats' live-action television series The Aquabats! Super Show!, contributing ideas and bits of writing to each episode between his work as art director on Yo Gabba Gabba!.[1] In 2012, Jacobs, alongside Christian Jacobs and Jon Berrett, created The Goon Holler Guidebook, a children's book about a Bigfoot and a wizard. Jacobs has expressed plans to pitch Goon Holler as a television series,[1][5] and published the first of four children's books based on the concept, Welcome to Goon Holler, in November 2014.

Jacobs lives in Huntington Beach, California, and has two daughters and four stepsons. Since 2008, Jacobs has posted a drawing every day on his website in a feature he calls "Daily Doodles".[1][5]

• The Parker Jacobs Blog
• Parker Jacobs at IMDb
• The Goon Holler Book